The Indianapolis journal., 1887-07-05
How the Anniversary of independence
was Observed Throughout the Land.
Veterans of the Philadelphia Brigade and
Pickett's Division Close Their Reunion by
Visit to Gettysburg Battle-Field.
A Notable Address by Ex-senator VIM
dom at a Celebration at Woodstock.
The Day Universally Observed as Holiday,
with Accomplishments of Patriotic Dec
orationg, Speeches and Fireworks.
AT GETTYSBURG.
Closing Scenes of the Reunion OF Union and
Confederate Veterans.


Closing Scenes of the Reunion OF Union and
Confederate Veterans.
GETTYSBURG. Pa, July AUST the clock
in the tower of the county courthouse, last
night. sounded the first stroke Of IL, the mid
night stiffness was broken by the strains from
buele of Way down upon the Swanee river"
Scarcely mad it's notes died away when the mem
bers of the Philadelphia Brigade and Picketts
Division began the celebration of the glorious
Fourth with the booming of cannon on East
Cemetery hi!l and the roar of fire-crackers
in the town. Pandemonium reigned for
an hour and a half. No such noise has
disturbed this little village since the three mem
orable days Of 1863. This morning, at o'clock,
the members of Picketts Division proceeded to
the courthouse and were called to order by
Colonel Aylett Some one proposed that every
member of the division present should give 25
cents toward paying the expense which Mrs.
Pickett incurred on this visit. The proposition
was accepted with cheers, and the way the
money ratified on the secretarys desk was suf-
ficient proof of the esteem in which Mrs. Pick
ett is held by the division. Resolutions were
then adopted thanking the Philadelphia Brigade
for the hospitable manner in which they had
treated them, the town authorities for the way
they had received them, their own officials for
the trouble and time they had given to bringing
about this reunion, and all soldiers for their
fraternal greeting.
The meeting then adjourned, and outside the
building they joined in procession with the
Philadelphia Brigade. With each Pickett man
linked arm-in-arm with Philadelphian.
the line proceeded to the Eagle Hotel,
where the party took carriages and
started over the battlefield. In the
first carriage Mrs General Pickett and her
son George Mrs. Charles Banes, wife of the
commander of the Philadelphia Brigade, and
Colonel Batchelder. Fully 100 carriages were
in the line which wended its way through the
dust of the Emmittsburc road to the Spangler
lane. Into this they turned and proceeded past
the farmhouse to the rising ground beyond.
Here all alighted ard then the word went round
that Mrs. Pickett going to hold reception
the very ground over which her husbands
command had charged and within few yards
of the woods under whose cover he, twenty
-cars before, had formed his. division. The
F.-kett men were first formed in line. and
by ,ue advanced and were introduced to the
wife of their old commander by Colonel Clopton,
of Richmond. Va, by name, stating their regi-
ment and rank. She had a word for all. and all
had word for her. The Philadelphia Brigade
was next presented Hsr con, George Pickett,
stood at her side and when she dropped hand
it was at once grabbed by him.
The people then moved to the highest ground,
and Colonel Batcnelder formed the survivors of
Kempers, Barnetts, and Armistead's brigades,
of Picketts Division in the order they stood
when the charge began, and asked the COM
mander of each regiment to step forward and
point out the position of his command. When
this was done the party once more resumed their
ride and took the following route Out the En-
mittsburg road along Sickless line to the peach
orchard, thence across the bloody wheatfeld to
the ''Devirs Den." through the "Valley of
Death" along the base of Roundtop, thence by
Battlefield avenue along the Union line past
the mbrella copse Of trees, where Hancock fell
wounded, on by "Bloody Angle" and ''The
High-water Mark of the Rebellion" past
Meades quarters, through the beautiful
National Cemetery. and entered town by the
Baltimore pike, over which the Union troops
retreated after the bloody struggle of the first
day
Mrs Pickett was the center of attraction on
the field She had gathered come daisies and
clover heads; number of the brigade asked her
for few, she gave them with smile, and one
by one they were given away, to be treasured
mementoes. Her autograph was also eagerly
sought, and she refused no one.
George Pickett showed the Associated Press
correspondent the watch his father carried dur
ing the charge 1t Is a medium sized gold one
with the stars and stripes and ;he stars and bars
crossed on the lid; on the inside are the names
of the battles in which he participated in the
Mexican
To say that Pickett's men are pleased would
be putting it lightly. They are delighted with
everything and everybody. In the words of q
a confederate soldier. I'VE are pleased all to
pieces. but Cowan, this time. has captured us
body and SOUL"
While the band was playing medley CT con-
federate and Union war-songs as the veterans
starting their ride the field, it
struck up Yankee Doodle" Instantly rebel
yell and Union cheer showed that the war-song
of their fathers above all others had touched
sympathetic chord in the breasts of both. This
evening religious service was held. In the alb
sence of the chaplain. Rev. j. K. Demorest was
asked to speak before gathering of Pickett's
men, mainly. at the courthouse. He spoke to
liberty and brotherly feeling characteristic Of
our land should endear it to all citizens
This evening Mrs. Pickett held reception at
the Pickett Division headquarters, and for an
hour shook the hand of every presented to
her. Immediately after the reception she was
serenaded by the Grand Army of the Republic
band. The Pickett men then adjourned to the
garden of the house, where the Sixty ninth
Pennsylvania men were holding forth Speech
making and toast-oferings were then the order
till late in the night. Cowan's Battery and the
Wheeler Rifles departed at o'clock this even
ing, and some of the Philadelphia Brigade also
left for their homes The Pickett Division will
leave at o'clock in the morning. and the
naming Philadelphans will leave about 9
o'clock
AT WOODSTOCK.